WINLOCK — Josh Moss scored 15 points for the Beavers and helped guide them to their first SWW 1A League Evergreen Division win here Friday night against Winlock, where Tenino outlasted the Cardinals 45-41 in overtime.
“The kids played really hard,” Cardinal coach Ross Hojem said. “We just had a little confusion offensively and didn’t keep our composure.
“Tenino played hard too,” he added. “It was just a great game.”
Tenino came back from a 12-1 deficit after one quarter of play, and actually had a 2-point lead going into the final frame. The Beavers then outscored Winlock 13-9 in the extra period.
“I thought that we lost it early in the first half,” Hojem said. “We had a chance to bury them and we didn’t. We didn’t understand how to keep the gas pedal to the floor and keep going.
“We let up defensively and lost our focus offensively,” he added. “And that let them get their confidence back. I told ‘em at halftime, I guarantee you it’s going to be a different story in the second half.
And it was. The Beavers came out and held Winlock to just a 3-point quarter — while scoring 10 — and capitalized on unforced turnovers by Winlock.
Winlock, down 2 points with 5 seconds remaining in regulation, hurled up three misses in the paint, before Bryson Coleman tipped in the tying bucket at the buzzer. Coleman finished with 13 for the Cards, who were led offensively by Collin Kupers with 14.
The Cards also outrebounded Tenino 31-26. Neither team was outstanding from the free throw line, as Winlock shot 8 of 24 and Tenino hit 11 of 26 attempts.
Along with Moss, Davante Harris hit double figures for the Beavers with 10.
Winlock (2-18, 2-10 league) hosts Rainier Tuesday, while Tenino (2-17, 1-11) hosts Montesano on Tuesday.
